


On Her Attend

by darkrose



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Character of Color, Community: non_mcsmooch, Episode Related, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-12-02
Updated: 2009-12-02
Packaged: 2017-10-04 02:18:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 589
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24879
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/darkrose/pseuds/darkrose
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Despite himself, he can't think of Teyla Emmagen as just another human. Not any more.</p>
            </blockquote>





	On Her Attend

**Author's Note:**

> Written for "Non-McSmooch". Title is from _The Faerie Queene_, by Edmund Spenser

She should be beneath him. She's food, after all, and anything that makes her more than that is stolen, the result of an idiot playing with things he didn't understand and failing to clean up after himself properly. She's small and weak, and while humans may find her physically appealing, he does not.

Not much.

He tells himself it's a only an echo of the time she played at being his Queen, but even before then, when she was only one note in the rich, complex symphony that he borrowed from Sheppard, something about her sparked his interest. She loomed so large in Sheppard's mind that he was surprised to find her so tiny and fragile-looking the first time he met her--and even discounting the life she carried, so bright she made his eyes hurt. He understood Sheppard better than he would have liked, but she should have been afraid of him, even if she hid her fear behind bravado like Dex, or sarcasm like McKay. If she was, though, he couldn't sense it, not then or ever. She was--is--suspicious of him, and even hates him for what he is, but she isn't afraid of him.

He isn't like most Wraith males, or even like most Wraith any more; his time as a Genii prisoner somehow diluted his connection to the greater whole. He doesn't need a Queen to rule him any more, and certainly not a human female pretending to be his Queen. And she'd been so awful at it initially, uncertain and tentative, like a child dressing up in her mother's clothes. But something in him had relaxed a tiny bit as she settled into her role. It was almost...comforting. When she'd taken advantage of the opportunity to thin her enemy's ranks he'd wanted to laugh, because he wouldn't have expected that move from any other human except Sheppard. She didn't explain and didn't apologize, either, and that's probably when he realized that he doesn't need a Queen...but if he did, it would be her.

He can't understand why they don't see it, why they take her for granted and treat her like she has to be protected because she's weak and not because she's the most precious thing in the galaxy. They have the luxury of being close to her and don't appreciate it, and it makes him angry.

He can't remember when or from whose mind he saw the image, but the gesture seems appropriate, and so next time they meet on his ship, he ignores the males and goes to her side. Dropping to one knee he takes her hand in his and lifts it to his mouth, brushing his lips over her warm skin. He hears the whine of Dex's ridiculous overcompensation object, and Sheppard's pistol and McKay's angry, "Get away from her!" but the only thing that concerns him is her heavy-lidded stare. Finally a corner of her mouth twitches and she gives him a regal nod.

"It's okay--he's not going to hurt me," she says. He gets up and smirks at Sheppard.

"I was merely paying proper respect to my Queen," he says, stating what should be obvious. Sheppard narrows his eyes, and he remembers that Sheppard can be more like a Wraith than he'd ever admit.

"She's not your Queen," Sheppard snaps, and he wonders if anyone else noticed the slight emphasis on the "your". He smiles. He's annoyed Sheppard and amused her; this round of negotiations is getting off to a promising start.


End file.
